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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26691118">To Build A New Silhouette</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/acommontater/pseuds/acommontater'>acommontater</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Inbetweens [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Gen, How To Explain Being A Genocide Survivor To Your Children, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:27:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26691118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/acommontater/pseuds/acommontater</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Dad, when do we get to go visit your family? We get to go visit mom’s family and see Granddad and Grangran, and we get to see Uncle Sokka like all the time.”</p><p>“You’ve met all my family, Bumi. You, your sister, brother, mother, everyone else- they’re my family too.”</p><p>Bumi gives him a skeptical look. Aang bites back a smile at how much he looks like his uncle for a moment.</p><p>“I know that, I meant when do we get to meet the other Airbenders and stuff.”</p><p>Aang sighs. He should have known that their children would inherit Katara’s stubbornness and refusal to accept his sidestepping. He’d just thought he’d have more time before having to talk about… this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang &amp; Bumi II, Aang &amp; Katara (Avatar), Aang &amp; Kya II (Avatar), Aang &amp; Tenzin (Avatar), Aang &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Inbetweens [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046899</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>207</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>In watching all the interactions with the Kataang kids in LOK, I came to the conclusion that Bumi and Kya were both probably Very Protective of their little brother when they were kids. Kya being ready to throw down in a second and Tenzin's line of "As long as I am breathing, it's not over." (which kicks me in the chest every time) prompted the writing of this fic.<br/>Title from Sleeping At Last's 'I'll Keep You Safe'.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When his family returns from the festivities at the South Pole, it’s with a welcome flurry of activity. Having the island be quiet and peaceful for a couple of weeks had been a nice break, but Aang had missed them all terribly.</p><p>Katara looks distinctly frazzled as she steps off the boat with the three kids. Bumi immediately spots Aang and sprints over to him. He barrels into his father and starts chattering about all the things they’d done while visiting the Southern Tribe. Kya waits until she and her mother get a little closer before running up for a hug.</p><p>Katara greets him with a relieved sigh and a kiss before promptly dumping Tenzin into his arms.</p><p>“I love you, I’m happy to see you, they are <em>your</em> children for a few hours while I take a nap.” She says, stifling a yawn in his shoulder.</p><p>Aang laughs.</p><p>“There are some snacks and a freshly made bed waiting for you in our room.” He whispers in her ear, ignoring Bumi tugging at his robes for a moment.</p><p>“My husband is truly a blessing from the spirits.” Katara kisses him on the cheek before vanishing into the family section of the temple.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s take a walk around the island and you two can tell me all about your trip.” Aang tells Bumi and Kya, quickly adjusting the fall of his robes to be a makeshift sling to carry Tenzin against his chest.</p><p>The older two cheerfully agree, talking about the festival and their grandparents and all the places they’d seen with their mother. Kya shows off some new waterbending tricks she’d learned and Bumi shows off a small club from his grandfather. They finally seem to run out of steam midway through the second lap around the island. Tenzin had fallen asleep partway through the first lap, his tiny head resting over Aang’s heart. They all sit down on the little strip of beach they’ve arrived at.</p><p>Kya goes down to sit by the water and Bumi sits down with a thump to sprawl out next to his father and little brother. He fidgets impatiently like when he wants to do something, but knows he’ll get into trouble for it. Aang waits patiently. Finally Bumi lets out an exasperated huff.</p><p>“Dad, when do we get to go visit <em>your</em> family? We get to go visit mom’s family and see Granddad and Grangran, and we get to see Uncle Sokka like all the time.”</p><p>“You’ve met all my family, Bumi. You, your sister, brother, mother, everyone else- they’re my family too.”</p><p>Bumi gives him a skeptical look. Aang bites back a smile at how much he looks like his uncle for a moment.</p><p>“I know <em>that</em>, I <em>meant</em> when do we get to meet the other Airbenders and stuff.”</p><p>Aang sighs. He should have known that their children would inherit Katara’s stubbornness and refusal to accept his sidestepping. He’d just thought he’d have more time before having to talk about… this.</p><p> </p><p>“There aren’t any other airbenders or Air Nomads, Bumi. Just me.” He says softly.</p><p>Bumi frowns.</p><p>“But there’s lots of waterbenders and earthbenders and firebenders.”</p><p>“Do you remember how your mother and I, and your uncles and aunts all fought in a war?” Bumi nods.</p><p>“The war lasted a very long time, but when it first started the Fire Nation-“</p><p>“Uncle Zuko?” Bumi says brightly.</p><p>“No, no, this was a long, long time before Zuko was Fire Lord.” Aang says. “His great grandfather was Fire Lord when the war started, and he attacked the Air Nomads first. I was the only one who got away.”</p><p>“Why did he attack you?”</p><p>Aang weighs the question carefully with the age of his son.</p><p> </p><p>“Because everyone knew that the Avatar was going to be an Air Nomad, and that the Avatar was the only person who could stop him.”</p><p>“Oh.” Bumi seems to think hard about something for a minute. “So they were looking for you?”</p><p>Aang takes a deep, slow breath, letting it flow through him.</p><p>“Yes.” He answers simply.</p><p>Bumi sits quietly. Aang sends a little whirlwind down the beach to turn Kya’s clump of bending water into a small waterspout. She laughs delightedly, glancing up at where they’re sitting before sending it up into a spray of water. It mostly comes down to splash on her head, but she just laughs again. Aang smiles.</p><p>Bumi suddenly shifts nearer, tucking himself in along Aang’s side. He lifts an arm to allow his son to scooch closer.</p><p>“It’s not fair.” Bumi says quietly, but fiercely. Aang glances down at him. “It’s not fair that they did that.”</p><p>“No, it’s not.” Aang agrees. “But the past is the past and all we can do now is look at the future. Besides, I’m lucky. I have you, and Kya, and Tenzin, and your mother, and everyone else as my family now.”</p><p>He squeezes Bumi in a one-armed hug. Bumi wraps his arms around his middle and holds onto him. He doesn’t leave Aang’s side for the rest of the day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kya is eight when they find out that Tenzin is a bender too.</p><p> </p><p>She, Bumi, and Tenzin (even though they’d complained to their mom, because Tenzin is only six, he’s a <em>baby</em>) are climbing up the steep steps that lead back up from the beach. Kya is in front, Tenzin between them with his short legs struggling on the steps, but he doesn’t let Bumi carry him, so Bumi is behind him to make sure he doesn’t fall. Kya is nearly at the top when there’s the sound of a foot slipping on the wood and Bumi shouts. She turns around to see if Bumi’s fallen down the stairs, but instead finds him holding one of Tenzin’s arms with his eyes wide.</p><p>“Tenz, do it again. Show Kya.” He says, and Kya gives him a confused look. Tenzin grumpily yanks his arm out of Bumi’s grip and promptly topples back down the stairs. Kya lurches forward when Bumi doesn’t move to catch him, but freezes because Tenzin… airbends himself back up the step. He notices them both staring.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Bumi and Kya share a look. Bumi scoops Tenzin up and he squawks in protest.</p><p>“Bumi, put me down!”</p><p>“Nope! We gotta go find Mom.” They sprint up the last few stairs and back towards their house in the temple. Tenzin holds onto Bumi’s shirt, suddenly looking scared.</p><p>“Why? Did I do something wrong?”</p><p>“Nope!” Kya chirps as they skid around a corner, nearly running into some of the Air Acolytes. “Sorry!” she calls back to them.</p><p>Then they run into someone even better.</p><p>“Dad!” Bumi yells.</p><p>Their father looks up from where he’d been talking to the abbess. He notices Tenzin in Bumi’s arms and looks slightly alarmed.</p><p>“Kids, what…”</p><p>“No time, we gotta find Mom!” Kya shouts, grabbing her dad’s wrist as they continue to run through the temple. He gamely keeps up with them and fortunately it only takes a couple more rooms before they find their mother.</p><p>“Mom, mom!” Kya says excitedly, dragging her father over to stand with her and her mother. “You guys have got to see this!”</p><p>“What-“</p><p>Bumi puts Tenzin down and kneels next to him.</p><p>“Okay, Tenzin, show Mom and Dad what you did before.” He nods encouragingly when Tenzin shoots him an apprehensive look. Kya nods too when he looks over at her.</p><p> </p><p>Tenzin takes a deep breath and shoots out a hand, sending a wild gust of air spinning around the room. Kya laughs delightedly as a few stray papers go flying and Bumi grins. She hears her mother gasp.</p><p>Their father takes a few shaky steps forward before kneeling in front of Tenzin. Then he abruptly pulls him into a tight hug. Tenzin makes mildly panicked eye contact with Kya over their father’s shoulder as he returns the hug. Bumi looks weirdly serious and a little sad before he kneels down and adds to the hug. Kya doesn’t know why. She looks up at her mother to find her standing with a hand over her mouth and tears on her face.</p><p>She frowns. She’d thought that everyone would be excited like her and Bumi about Tenzin being a bender. She suddenly tugs on her mother’s sleeve.</p><p>“Mom,” she whispers urgently. “does this mean that Tenzin is the Avatar too?”</p><p>The question takes her mother by surprise and she laughs.</p><p>“No, there’s only one Avatar at a time. Your brother is just an airbender, like your father.”</p><p> </p><p>There’s a soft look on her mom’s face and Kya thinks that maybe there’s no such thing as ‘just’ being an airbender.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>That night when Mom comes to tuck her in, Kya has more questions.</p><p>“Is Dad upset that Tenzin’s an airbender, Mom?”</p><p>Katara looks surprised.</p><p>“No, he’s very happy.”</p><p>“But he was crying so hard he couldn’t breathe!” Kya says, sitting up. Her mom sighs and sits on the bed next to her.</p><p>“Do you remember what you’ve learned about the Air Nomads?”</p><p>Kya scrunches up her nose in thought.</p><p>“They were all airbenders like Dad and they lived in the temples, like we do.”</p><p>“That’s right. But your dad has been the only one for a very long time, so he has been very lonely.”</p><p>“But he has us!”</p><p>“Yes, yes he does. And he loves all of us so much. But imagine if you didn’t know any other waterbenders.”</p><p>Kya scrunches up her face.</p><p>“There’s lots of waterbenders though!”</p><p>“When I was your age, I didn’t know any other waterbenders at all.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yes. I didn’t meet any until I left the South Pole and traveled across the world to meet more.”</p><p>“So, why doesn’t Dad go find the other airbenders like you found the waterbenders?”</p><p>Her mother looks sad. Kya reaches out to hold her hand and her mom takes it. Katara smooths out some creases in the blankets for a moment before speaking.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you remember how when your dad and I were young there was a war?” Kya nods. “The war lasted a very, very long time, from when grandpa’s grandpa was a little boy. But it started when the Fire Lord back then attacked the Air Nomads. Your dad was the only one to get away from the attack.”</p><p>“Oh. What happened to all of them? The Air Nomads?”</p><p>“They died, sweetie.”</p><p>“They didn’t fight? Dad knows how to fight.”</p><p>“They tried, honey, but they didn’t like fighting, and the day that they were attacked was a day when firebenders are extra strong.”</p><p>“Oh. That’s sad.” Kya says thickly. She’s very glad when her mom scoops her into a big hug.</p><p>“Yes, yes it is.” Her mother agrees.</p><p>“Does it make dad sad too?”</p><p>“Sometimes. But you and your brothers make him very happy.”</p><p>Kya pets at the fur fringe along her mother’s dress, thinking about what she’s learned. Then she sits up a bit, looking serious.</p><p>“But firebenders are our friends now, right? They won’t hurt Tenzin because he’s an airbender?”</p><p>“That’s right.” Katara says firmly. “And your uncle would never let that happen.”</p><p>“Because Uncle Zu is in charge of all the firebenders.” Kya says with satisfaction, flopping back onto the bed.</p><p>Katara opens her mouth to correct her, but decides against it. The nuances of international politics can wait until Kya is a little older. She kisses Kya’s head before standing up.</p><p>“Goodnight.”</p><p>“’night, mom.” Kya says sleepily.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Kya goes down to the beach after breakfast. She sneaks away down to the far side of the island to the small beach facing the ocean. She thinks about what her mother had told her, frowning.</p><p>Sometimes her dad will join in on her waterbending lessons so that he and her mom can demonstrate partner moves. So she <em>knows</em> it’s not true that firebenders don’t hurt airbenders anymore.</p><p>She’s seen the scar on her father’s back.</p><p>Kya grips the sand under her hands and resolves that no firebender will <em>ever</em> get the chance to hurt Tenzin.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>It’s several weeks later when they go to visit the Fire Nation, like they do every summer.</p><p> </p><p>Out of the corner of his good eye, the Fire Lord notices a small waterbender attempting to be sneaky in observing him. Kya is a like a tiny shadow for the first few days. She seems to be watching him for reasons he can’t fathom. When he asks Aang and Katara about it, they seem just as baffled by their daughter’s behavior as he is. He shrugs. If Kya has something to ask, he’s sure he’ll find out eventually.</p><p>On their fourth day on Ember Island, Zuko is unsurprised to suddenly find himself with company as he sits quietly with his tea after morning meditation. Usually Aang joins him in the mornings when they visit, but he’d opted to run into town to pick up some things for breakfast instead.</p><p> </p><p>Kya sits down across from him. Her face is serious, and she looks so much like a tiny version of her mother in the moment that Zuko fights to keep a straight face.</p><p>“Good morning, Kya.”</p><p>“Morning, Uncle Zu.” She responds automatically. He pours another cup of tea and holds it out. She takes it carefully with a thank you. He sips his tea and waits, letting the morning sun warm them gently.</p><p> </p><p>“Uncle Zu, you know Tenzin’s an airbender now?”</p><p>Zuko nods. Kya eyes him with an odd expression for a moment.</p><p>“And you’ll make sure that he won’t get hurt by any firebenders right?”</p><p>“Of course, just like you would, I’m sure.”</p><p>“Yeah, but you make sure that no firebenders are ever mean to Tenzin and Dad right? Because you’re the boss of all of them?” Kya asks, sitting up a little, a hard look on her face. “Because mom and I have lots and lots of waterbenders, but Tenzin doesn’t have lots of airbenders.”</p><p>Zuko lets his eyes close for a moment to compose himself. Right. He sets his tea down on the tray between them and looks seriously at Kya across his small teapot.</p><p>“I promised a long time ago that I would never, ever let any firebenders hurt anyone again if I could help it. <em>Especially</em> not airbenders. I promise you that I will do everything that I can to keep your father and brother safe.”</p><p>Kya stares at him for a moment, then holds out her hand for a shake. Zuko takes it, shaking her small hand over the teapot.</p><p>“Good.” She says, finality in her tone.</p><p> </p><p>They sit and enjoy their tea together until Aang arrives back from town. He immediately hands the bags off to Zuko so that he can scoop his daughter up into his arms. Zuko grumbles good-naturedly as he trails behind them into the kitchen, but he smiles as he listens to them chatter animatedly about something Aang had seen in town on his morning trip. The three of them set up for breakfast- Aang and Kya set to chopping up the fruit and boiling water while Zuko ducks back out to retrieve his tea set- and wait for the rest of their family to make their way down to join them.</p><p>Zuko sets down his empty teacup as he laughs over something with Aang. Bumi comes barreling in, followed a moment later by a more composed Izumi. Katara joins them a few minutes later, sleepily offering Zuko a short good morning before sitting down to slump into her husband’s side. Aang merely wraps an arm around her and presses a kiss to the top of her head as he listens to an animated story Bumi is spinning.</p><p>Zuko is startled for a moment at a sudden warmth on his palm. He looks down to find his teacup has been refilled, the tail end of some slightly clumsy waterbending ending up on the table. Kya is frowning a little at the slight spill. Zuko smiles at her and lifts the cup a little.</p><p>“Thank you, Kya.”</p><p>She brightens and impulsively flings herself sideways to give him a hug. Zuko returns it briefly. Kya leans back into her seat and immediately launches into some kind of argument with her brother about a detail in his story. Zuko sits back, letting himself be amused by the squabble and the exasperated expression on Tenzin’s little face when he appears at the doorway next to Mai. She merely raises her eyebrow at Zuko, who shakes his head at her and presses a kiss to her cheek when she sits next to him. His heart is full over the meal.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>Kya flops down on the beach next to her dad.</p><p>“Taking a break?” He asks.</p><p>She nods, slowly running her fingers through the sand where she lays. After a few minutes, Kya props her head up to watch where Bumi is teaching Tenzin the best way to jump over the waves as they roll in.</p><p>“Uncle Zu promised me that no firebenders would ever be mean to you or Tenzin again.” Ky informs him casually, digging her toes under the warm sand. It’s a different color and texture from on their island back home.  “But I’ll beat them up if they don’t listen.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Her dad’s voice sounds weird.</p><p>Kya nods firmly.</p><p>“Yeah. I’ll beat up anyone who’s mean to Tenzin, ‘cause he’s little. And because Mom said that we have lots of waterbenders, but she didn’t when she was little, and you and Tenzin don’t have lots of airbenders. So when you have to go on your important trips, I’ll make sure Tenzin’s okay.”</p><p>“Violence is never the answer, Kya. But thank you, you’re a good big sister to look out for Tenzin.”</p><p>Her dad looks like he’s trying not to cry, about what Kya doesn’t know, but she jumps to her feet and grabs his hand.</p><p>“Come on, I want to see if Bumi and Izumi can beat me and Tenzin at pigchicken, you can referee.”</p><p> </p><p>As she drags her father down towards the sea, Kya thinks hard. Her mom and dad had a team to help fight bad guys, maybe she needs one too. They play pigchicken until the sun starts to sink in the sky and Bumi starts accusing Kya of using waterbending to cheat. They all head back up the house, damp, sandy, and happily exhausted.</p><p>Kya decides she’ll ask Lin to be part of her team when they get back home. Lin will help her protect her brother and father.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Tenzin stamps his foot, sending up a small puff of dust.</p><p>“But I don’t <em>want</em> to practice airbending today.”</p><p>Aang sighs internally. Tenzin has been in a <em>mood</em> all week and neither he nor Katara have been able to figure out <em>why</em> yet.</p><p> </p><p>“Discipline is-“</p><p>“-the first step to mastery, yeah I <em>know</em>.” Tenzin crosses his arms. “But it’s not <em>fair</em>.”</p><p>“What isn’t fair?”</p><p>“Bumi gets to train with Uncle Sokka <em>and</em> Auntie Suki <em>and</em> even Uncle Zu sometimes! And <em>Kya</em> gets to train with Mom <em>and</em> you <em>and</em> Grandpa <em>and</em> the other healers. And we just do the same thing all the time, when do <em>I</em> get to have other teachers too? I want to learn from all the <em>other</em> monks, like you did.”</p><p>Aang bends up a bench and sits, patting the space next to him. Tenzin drags his feet and slumps down onto the seat with a scowl. Aang thinks about how to explain to his son- his sensitive airbender son.</p><p>“Tenzin, do you remember how your mom and I- and Sokka and Suki and Zuko and Toph and Iroh- we fought in a war together.” Tenzin nods. “The war started a long time ago, more than a hundred years ago, when I was only a few years older than you are now. Fire Lord Sozin started the war after Avatar Roku died.”</p><p>“He had a dragon like Uncle Zu!”</p><p>“Yes, he did.” Aang smiles for a moment, then it slips away. “Sozin knew that the next Avatar would be born an airbender, so when he started the war he attacked the Air Temples first.”</p><p>He pauses. Peace for himself had been long in coming, but it didn’t make talking about what had happened to his people any easier.</p><p> </p><p>“Dad?” He looks down to see Tenzin looking slightly concerned.</p><p>“I’m okay, Tenzin, it’s just that this is something that is hard for me to talk about.”</p><p>“Oh. Why?”</p><p>“Because it makes me very sad.”</p><p>Tenzin grabs his arm.</p><p>“You don’t have to talk about it if it makes you sad!”</p><p>Aang smiles at him.</p><p>“Thank you. But just because something is sad doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it. Sad things can be important too.” He clears his throat. “Where was I?”</p><p>“Fire Lord Sozin attacked the temples in the war.” Tenzin prompts.</p><p>“Right. When he did, the soldiers killed everyone they found there. My friends, my teachers, all of them. A few escaped, but the soldiers used tricks to catch them later. I was the only one who survived.”</p><p>Tenzin looks stricken.</p><p>“All of them?” He whispers.</p><p>Aang nods.</p><p>“Are firebenders going to attack us here because we’re airbenders?” Tenzin asks, looking scared.</p><p>“No, no.” Aang is quick to reassure him, dropping down on one knee to be at his son’s level. “Your Uncle Zuko made sure that all the firebenders learned better and we’re friends now.”</p><p>Tenzin still looks unsure. Aang holds up a hand, pulling a small flame into existence in his palm.</p><p>“Besides, I’m a firebender too, right? Just like Uncle Zuko, and Iroh, and even Izumi. I wouldn’t have been able to learn if airbenders and firebenders weren’t friends now.”</p><p>Tenzin looks marginally reassured but uses a puff of air to blow out the flame in Aang’s hand. He lets it go out. Tenzin looks up at him seriously.</p><p>“Does this mean that you and me are the only airbenders in the world?”</p><p>Aang swallows the lump in his throat.</p><p>“Yeah, it does. But we’re lucky enough to have each other.”</p><p>Tenzin looks solemn and thoughtful.</p><p> </p><p>Aang watches him carefully as he absorbs the information. He catches the hitch in his son’s breathing nearly as soon as it happens. Aang kneels down next to him, gently taking hold of his small hands. Tenzin stares at a point somewhere beyond him, shaking slightly as he gasps for air.</p><p>“Tenzin, you’re okay. It’ll pass, I’m right here, okay?” Aang squeezes his hands. “Can you feel that?”</p><p>Tenzin nods shakily, gripping his fingers forcefully. He manages to focus on Aang. He smiles at his son.</p><p>“Very good. That’s exactly right.” He lifts one of Tenzin’s hands to press flat against his son’s chest, bringing the other to rest over his own. “Can you feel that? Do your best to breathe with me, here we go.”</p><p>He takes a long slow breath in and then out. It takes a couple minutes before Tenzin can remember his breathing exercises and manages to slowly fall into sync with his father. Aang continues until he can feel Tenzin’s heart stop racing.</p><p>“Very good.” He says softly. “Now what do you feel under your hands?”</p><p>Tenzin closes his eyes.</p><p>“Our hearts.”</p><p>“Yes, what else?”</p><p>“Us, breathing.”</p><p>“Exactly. We are breathing and that plus our hearts beating means that we are alive. As long as we are breathing, airbending and it’s people are alive. It’s not over. They live through us.”</p><p>Tenzin takes a deep breath and sighs, then nods.</p><p>He doesn’t resist when Aang pulls him into a hug and returns it tightly. They sit there for a long time together.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>Tenzin is skittish the next time Zuko and his family visit, alternating between hiding behind Aang’s robes, peeking out to stare fiercely at his uncle, and vanishing in a poof of air when Zuko addresses him directly. Aang pulls his confused friend aside after the third time Tenzin skitters out of the room as Zuko walks in.</p><p>“I had to tell him about what happened to our people. I guess he’s a little… paranoid around firebenders right now.” Aang says quietly, glancing over to where his son had disappeared once again.</p><p>He winces at the heartbroken look on his friend’s face.</p><p>“Is there anything I can do? We can leave if he’s uncomfortable.” Zuko offers.</p><p>“Don’t be silly, you just got here. He just needs time to process, it’s… a lot for a kid to wrap their mind around.” Aang says with a wave of his hand. “We live is a world with all kinds of people, there’s no room for prejudice against any kind of bender.”</p><p>“It’s not as if it’s an unearned or unreasonable fear for him to have.” Zuko points out. Aang sighs.</p><p>The cyclical nature of the familiar conversation in self-flagellation is not one he particularly wants to indulge his friend with right now.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell you what.” He claps Zuko on the back and walks them forward through the house. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a minute for a good sparring match, what do you say?”</p><p>Zuko squints at him for a minute before allowing the redirection.</p><p>“You would challenge your poor old sifu to a match against the Avatar?” He grins.</p><p>Aang laughs.</p><p> </p><p>/</p><p> </p><p>Tenzin sees the bursts of fire in the training yard and instantly turns around and sprint back to the house to find his mother. He uses his bending to speed himself up, heart pounding.</p><p>“Mom, mom!”</p><p>Katara looks up from where she’d been writing at her desk.</p><p>“What’s wrong, Tenzin?” She asks, taking in his pale face and harried appearance.</p><p>“Dad and Uncle Zuko are fighting!” He gasps. “You have to come quick!”</p><p>He grabs her hand and drags her along before she can respond. Katara finds herself dragged down to the edge of the training yard, the familiar sight of Aang and Zuko sparring making her shake her head in exasperation. Tenzin holds her hand in a white-knuckle grip, face pale as he stares at the two men bursting with fire. Katara crouches down next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Tenzin, honey, what’s wrong?”</p><p>It seems like he can’t quite catch his breath, gripped by some kind of terror.</p><p>“I don’t want Dad to get hurt.” He manages, eyes still fixed on the training arena.</p><p>Katara lowers herself to sit on the ground, pulling Tenzin to sit in her laps. He struggles for a moment, but she holds him tight.</p><p>“Watch.” She points, following along with the familiar patterns of their sparring. “They’re just practicing. Zuko wouldn’t hurt anyone if he can help it, and your dad is very, <em>very</em> good at bending. Plus, even if one of them gets burnt, guess what?”</p><p>Tenzin finally turns and looks at her. She pulls some water from her pouch and wraps it around her hand like a glove, waggling her fingers at her son. Some tension finally unwinds from his small frame at the reminder of her healing abilities.</p><p>“Dad and Uncle Zu have gotten hurt by fire before though.” He says quietly</p><p>Katara glances up to see Tenzin taking in the three prominent scars visible on the two opponents. Two healed by her own hands, one from long before.</p><p>“Yes, they have. But that was a long time ago, from the war.” She says.</p><p> </p><p>Aang spots them sitting off to the side and grins, throwing in an unnecessarily elaborate backflip to dodge a blow that makes Katara laugh, Tenzin relax a little, and Zuko scowl playfully.</p><p>“No airbending during the match!” He calls out over a well-aimed kick.</p><p>Aang flops down to the ground abruptly under the spout of fire from Zuko’s foot. Katara feels Tenzin sit up anxiously. Zuko’s foot lands back on the ground and as he turns he’s abruptly yanked down by his ankle with a shout. Aang pops up from the ground with a laugh.</p><p>“Match over!”</p><p>Zuko sighs in exasperation and lets his head fall back against the ground while Aang bounds over to his family. He sweeps Tenzin up into his arms, spinning them up into the air for a moment before touching back down. Katara stands and brushes off her skirt, tilting her face up to accept the kiss Aang greets her with. She wrinkles her nose and pushes her boys away when he tries to put an arm around her.</p><p>“Nope, you are all sooty and stinky.”</p><p>Zuko picks himself up off the hard-packed dirt and shrugs his training robes back on as he walks over to join them. He pokes Aang in the shoulder.</p><p>“I can’t believe you cheat even with two of your bending masters watching.”</p><p>“I didn’t cheat!” Aang protests. They squabble lightheartedly as they all head back towards the house.</p><p>Aang swings Tenzin up to sit on his shoulders as they walk. He wraps his arms around his father’s head, resting his chin on top of his crown as he stares at his uncle. Katara watches them carefully.</p><p>“Zuko, have you ever been able to actually land a hit on Aang in all the years you’ve been sparring?” She asks casually, seeing the white-knuckled grip of her son’s small hands out of the corner of her eye. Zuko groans and Aang cackles.</p><p>“No, I don’t think I have, thank you so much for bringing it up, Katara.” Zuko says with exasperation.</p><p>“So you’re telling me that the Fire Lord, the best firebender in the whole entire world, has never ever been able to touch a master airbender, even just in practice?”</p><p>"Oh, I'm not-" Zuko begins, glancing over at her. She looks pointedly at where Tenzin is perched and back to Zuko. Thankfully, he’s learned how to pick up her ques much more quickly over the years. “I mean, I guess that’s true, airbenders are just too fast to catch! Even when I spent years and years trying to do it, I couldn’t manage it.”</p><p>“Even with my hands tied behind my back.” Aang adds cheekily.</p><p>Zuko shoots him a half-hearted glare. Katara watches as the rigid lines in Tenzin’s shoulders relax at the reassurances from the adults. When they reach the house, Aang sets their son down and sends him to wash up and get his siblings. Zuko disappears down the hall to clean up and change clothes.</p><p> </p><p>Aang catches her hand before she heads down the hall to the kitchen to check on lunch. He presses a kiss to her knuckles.</p><p>“Thank you.” He says quietly. Katara squeezes his hand.</p><p>“He’ll have enough to worry about in the future.” She says softly. “Your safety isn’t his job.”</p><p>Aang swallows hard, briefly bowing his head to press his forehead to the back of her hand.</p><p>“I wish he didn’t have to…” His voice breaks. Katara pulls her hand free and gently follows the path of the blue ink over his scalp with her fingers. Someday Tenzin will have the same tattoos, she thinks.</p><p>“I know.” She whispers. “I know.”</p><p>Aang seems to gather himself up with a shake. He gives her a small smile before disappearing down to their room to tidy up and get a fresh set of robes.</p><p> </p><p>They both watch with amusement over lunch when Tenzin plants himself next to Zuko and peppers him with questions about firebending. Katara can see Aang biting back a laugh when Zuko shoots them a helpless look. She watches the determined look on her son’s face and tries picturing him with tattoos to match his father. Then she shakes herself. There will be plenty of time for that in the future, she decides.</p><p>They all have plenty of time.</p>
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